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Thursday, June 16, 2011

No one was injured from the industrial fire – that is good news. However the fire burnt inflammable paints, other chemicals and sent smokes all over. This should have caused some damage to the air quality. Lots of people are living around that area and lots of agricultural lands are there near that area (Recently visited that place). Severe Environmental Damage would occur due to this. Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board should assess this damage.

However it is only jobs they lost, Think about the Environmental Damage this fire has caused. The Environmental hazard that has happened to Environment and air quality of Tamilnadu is more damaging than just losing few jobs. This area is an agricultural area and this would not only damage crops but also affect the health of the people. Hazardous air pollutants will be inhaled by people living in those areas. Only years of real scientific study will identify the real damage.

Read my earlier blog about conversation between me and a graduate student about fine line between environment and economic importance:Environment and Economics

Even though Finland was worried about Perlos Job loss, people are safe and have better environment, where as People of Tamilnadu might have got some blue collar jobs (Not the white collar jobs - may be few) from this industry being moved here, but face severe Environmental damage including Health effects from this chemical fire.

Finland Environment is getting better Finland Emissions. SOx, NOx, NMVOC, CO, PM - all air pollutants reduced over the years. As an Environmental Scientist, I bet 100% that all these chemicals must have increased at damaging levels in the atmosphere because of this fire. Even though it is an accident, what emergency remediation action plan we have? or what rules India have regarding this (Environmental Pollution)? or who will be responsible for clean up and health problems from this industrial fire?

We still did not learn from Bhopal tragedy!. Our Politicians have other priorities – Bringing more and more such industries without proper Environmental planning or litigation.

We should be happy and thank God, that there was no mortality in this industrial fire. However, we should wake up now (this is just a warning alarm) and create Proper Environmental Litigation and Environmental Responsibility by these industries.